Package insert applicator

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is disclosed for applying a package insert to the exterior of a container, to be retained by a label having spaced end margins thereof secured to the container. The apparatus includes a hopper holding a quantity of inserts, and an arm, rotatable in a vertical plane, for transferring an insert from the hopper to a position between a container and a label having one end margin thereof secured to the container.

Aug. 22, 1972 F. E. BLACKETT ETAL 3,686,058

PACKAGE INSERT APPLICATOR Filed May 22, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 no V 25 g T D R 9-5 sec I /3'0 32 Am SUPPLY VAC.

[AWE/V7019). FRANK E. BLACKETT JACK E. SPROUSE F. E. BLACKETT ETAL 3,686,058

PACKAGE INSERT APPLICATOR Aug. 22, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1970 1W E m m N O R VL w S E MK c MA Fv Aug. 22, 1972 F. E. BLACKETT ETAL 3,686,058

PACKAGE INSERT APPLICATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 22, 1970 //V//V/0A FRANK E. BLACKETT JACK E. SPROUSE g- 22, 1972 F. E. BLACKETT ETAL 3,686,058

PACKAGE INSERT APPLICATOR Filed May 22, 1970 s Sheets-Sheet 4 /A/VA/Td?.f. FRANK E. BLACKETT JACK E. SPROUSE 1972' F. E. BLACKETT ETAL 3,686,058

PACKAGE INSERT APPLICATOR Filed May 22, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 6 o Q v *w 0 N =z- Q "3 MWQf/fO/PS FRANK E. BLACKETT JACK E SPROUSE United States ()fice 3,686,058 PACKAGE INSERT APPLICATOR Frank E. Blackett, Dublin, and Jack E. Sprouse, lataskala, Ohio, assignors to Rohm and Haas Co., Philadelphia,

Filed May 22, 1970, Ser. No. 39,838

Y lint. Cl. B65c 9/08, 3/14 US. Cl. 156-571 5 Claims ABSTRACT or THE DISCLOSURE a container and a labelhaving one end margin thereof secured to the container.

DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a package insert applicator, and more particularly, to apparatus for applying a package insert to the exterior of a container, to be retained thereon by-an overlying label.

It is sometimes desirable or even necessary to provide, with a packaged product, descriptive, instructional or promotional printed matter. For example, the manufacture of drugs is required bylaw to include with each package a full description of the drug, its indications and methods of use, side effects, contra-indications, and the like. It has become the practice to include this material in a separate sheet or brochure, apart from the label applied directly to the container for the product. Most commonly, each container of drugs is sold in a small box, and the additional material is placed in the box as a package insert."

It has been proposed that the individual boxes be eliminated by aflixing package inserts to the containers themselves, using the labels to retain the inserts. For example, in U.S. Pats. 3,138,508 and 3,262,832, a method and apparatus, respectively, are disclosed whereby a vacuum held label and insert are simultaneously transferred to a container, the label being gummed at side and bottom margins thereof, or at side margins only, to provide a pocket for retaining the insert.

In Pat. 3,440,116, a circular carriage assembly, with depending insert carrying fingers thereon, is mounted above the conveyor of a conventional labeler. The carriage deposits inserts between containers on the conveyor and labels secured at only one end margin to the containers. Subsequent wrapping of. the labels about the containers, and securement of the other end margins of the labels .to the containers, completes afiixation of the inserts.

The above-described known prior art apparatus have suffered from certain shortcomings. For example, the apparatus in Pat. 3,262,832 is limited to use with perforated labels, perforation of the labels being necessary to support the inserts-during transfer to the containers. The apparatus of Pat. 3,440,116 has been found unable to apply inserts to some short containers, since the fingers which carry the inserts must be positioned high enough to clear certain structure associated with the conveyor.

In a modification of the apparatus shown in Patent 3,440,116, it has been proposed to use an oval or race track shaped turret assembly, disposed in a plane angled with respect to the horizontal. In this arrangement, the lowest part of the turret assembly is locatedover the conveyor, and the rest is sufiiciently high to clear the conveyor structure. Such modification, however, calls for a mechanically complex chain conveyor arrangement, upon which the insert carrying fingers are mounted.

v It is, accordingly, the principal object of this invention to provide a mechanically simple package insert applicator, capable of operation with both large and small containers.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The present package insert applicator is intended for use with labeling apparatus of the type wherein at least first and second spaced edge portions or margins of a label are sequentially secured to a container, while the container is supported upon a moving conveyor. In a presently preferred form of the invention, the insert applicator includes a hopper or other insert storage device, and a transfer element for conveying an insert from the hopper to a position between an outer wall of a container and a label secured at one of its end margins to the container. The transfer means includes an arm mounted forunidirectional rotation in a generally vertical plane disposed parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor, so that the arm has a tangential component of motion at the low point in its travel directed parallel to the motion of the conveyor. Individual inserts are preferably withdrawn from the hopper by a pneumatic cylinder device and a suction cup associated therewith. Fingers disposed at opposite ends of the arm grasp the withdrawn inserts, carry them into association with the labels and containers on the conveyor, and release them so that upon final securement of the label to the package the insert is retained between the label and the package.

With apparatus in accordance with the present invention, it has been found feasible to apply inserts to containers at high speed bottles/minute), using one hopper rather than the two formerly required. Moreover, by bringing the inserts into association with the containers by movement in a vertical plane, the containers remain visible at all times.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a package labeling apparatus, having an insert applicator in accordance with the invention associated therewith.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing a package insert applicator in accordance with the invention, and portions of a labeling apparatus associated therewith.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a package insert applicator in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing details of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing a form of insert magazine used with the invention], and the insert dispensing apparatus associated therewit FIG. 6 is a perspective view, showing the manner in which an insert is brought into association with a package in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view, illustrating details of a control system for apparatus in accordance with the invention.

. Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG.

1 a conventional labeling device, designated generally by the reference numeral 10. Associated with the labeling device 10, and designated generally by the reference numeral 12, is a package insert applicator in accordance with the invention. A suitable labeling device 10 is the apparatus known as Challenger labeler, sold by the New Jersey Machine Corporation, of Hobokeu, NJ.

Patented Aug. 22, 1972 The term container as used hereinafter should be understood in its broad sense. Thus, as used herein container is intended to mean, without limitation, any generally cylindrical jar, bottle, canister or other such container. For convenience, the construction and operation of the apparatus will hereinafter be described with reference to abottle.

Referring again to RIG. 1, the operation of the labeling device is as follows: bottles, not shown, are placed on a conveyor 14, and advanced to the right in the figure into juxtaposition with a rotating label transfer drum 16. The transfer drum 16 applies a label to the bottle in such a manner that only a single gummed vertical margin thereof adheres initially to the bottle. The bottle, with the partially secured label, then advances to a rolldown station, designated generally by the reference numeral 18, wherein the remainder of the label is conformed to the shape of the bottle, and the opposite margin secured.

The foregoing is depicted diagrammatically in FIG. 2. Thus. at the left of the figure. there is seen a label 20, affixed at its margin 22 to a bottle 24 on the conveyor 14. At the right of the figure, there is seen another bottle 24', whose label has been fully secured.

The rolldown station 18 includes a vertically oriented belt 26, driven in a direction parallel to the direction of motion of the conveyor 14, but at a greater linear velocity. Spaced from the belt 26, on the opposite side of the conveyor 14, is a back-up belt 28. As is indicated by the arrow associated with the bottle 24', motion of the belt 26 causes rolling of the bottle 24 about a vertical axis, between the belt 26 and the back-up belt 28. Such rolling causes the label 20' to conform to the external contour of the bottle 24', and presses into contact with the bottle 24 a gummed margin 30 of the label 20 remote from the margin 22' initially secured to the bottle 24 at the transfer drum 16.

The package insert applicator 12 of the present invention is afiixed to the labeling device 10, adjacent the conveyor 14, between the transfer drum 16 and rolldown station 18. The package insert applicator 12 will now be described in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the package insert applicator 12 includes a hopper, designated generally by the reference numeral 32, for storing a supply of package inserts 34, and a rotary transfer arm 36, for transporting the inserts 34 from the hopper 32 into association with a partly labeled bottle on the conveyor 14.

Referring to FIG. 6, the association of the transfer arm 36, the package insert 34, and a partly labeled bottle 24, is illustrated just prior to transfer of the insert 34.

The transfer arm 36 rotates in a vertical plane, disposed approximately tangentially with respect to the outermost edges of bottles 24 disposed on the conveyor 14. Thus, as the transfer arm 36 approaches the low point of its travel, a package insert 34 carried thereby is interleaved between the partly secured label 20 and the bottle 24. The transfer arm 36 is provided at each of its ends with selectively operable fingers 38 and 40 for grasping an insert 34. As is perhaps best seen in FIG. 2, in the illustrated embodiment, the finger 38 is a fixed finger, defined by an extension of the transfer arm 36. The finger 40 is a movable finger, associated with a channel-like finger-supporting member 42. The fingersupporting member 42 is pivotably coupled to the transfer arm 36 by means of a bolt 44 or the like.

It should now be apparent that rotation of the fingersupporting member 42 in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 2, about the axis defined by the bolt 44, results in moving of the finger 40 away from the finger 38. A compression spring 46, disposed between the transfer arm 36 and finger-supporting member 42, however, biases the finger-supporting member 42 to its position shown in FIG. 2. With the finger-supporting member 42 in such position, the fingers 38 and 40 are adapted to securely clamp an insert therebetween. Clamping faces of the fingers 38 and 40 may be provided with respective resilient pads 48, 50 if desired, to enhance their insert-grasping ability.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the fingers 38 and 40 are seen in their open position, just prior to grasping of an insert 34 withdrawn from the hopper 32. in FIG. 6, the fingers 38 and 40 are shown in their closed position, shortly before their opening after insertion the thereinillust'rated insert 34 between the label 20 and bottle 24.

The manner in which opening of the fingers 38 and 40 is accomplished will now be described.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, affixed to a front panel 52 of a housing 54 of the package insert applicator 12 are a pair of cams 56 and 58. In the illustrated embodiment, as is perhaps best seen in FIG. 3, the earns 56 and 58 are provided with arcuate slots 60, which provide for their adjustment. The earns 56 and 58 are retained on the panel 52 by a hold-down plate 62, and bolts 64 extending through the slots 60 into the panel 52. A generally r arm 36 is coupled to the shaft 66 for rotation therewith.

Coupling of the transfer arm 36 is best effected by a set screw 68 or the like, to facilitate relative angular adjustment of these members.

The cams 56 and 58 are provided with respective lobe portions 70, 72 and dwell portions 74, 76, 78 and 80.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the finger-supporting member 42 is provided with a cam follower, such as the illustrated roller 82. Contact between the roller 82 and the lobe portions 70 and 72 causes rotation of the finger-supporting member 42 against the bias of the spring 46. As is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 3 and 4, the roller 82 contacts the cams 56 and 58 only at the lobe portions 70 and 72. Thus, as the transfer arm 36 approaches the high point in its travel, adjacent the hopper 32, contact between the roller 82 and a part of the lobe portion 70 of gradually increasing radius results in gradual opening of the fingers 38 and 40 to a position approximating that shown in FlG. 5. Just before the twelve oclock position, the lobe portion 70 ends at sharp transition portion 84 to the dwell portion 74. Thus, when the transfer arm 36 rotates to a point wherein the roller 82 negotiates the transition portion 84, the fingers 38 and 40 rapidly close under the influence of the spring 46, and grasp an insert 34.

A sharp transition portion 86 located at about the six oclock position on the cam 58 interconnects the dwell portion 76 and lobe portion 72. When roller 82 encounters the transition portion 86, as it does when the transfer arm 36 passes a short distance beyond the position shown in FIG. 6, the fingers 38 and 40 open, to release the insert 34.

With reference to FIG. 5, the hopper 32 for package inserts 34 will now be described in detail.

A tray-like receptacle 88, of inverted U-shaped crosssection is provided. The receptacle 88, in turn, is received in an upwardly opening channel member 90, afiixed to the housing 54.

Restraining wires 92 and 94, extending across an open front face of the receptacle 88, provide a barrier against which a stack of inserts 34 rests. Means are provided to bias the stack against the restraining wires 92 and 94. For this purpose, in the illustrated embodiment, a constant tension flat coiled spring 96, of the type sold under the trademark Negator, is used. Referring for the moment to FIG. 2, an end 98 of the spring 96 is affixed to the channel member adjacent its front end. Upon placement of a stack of'inserts 34 in the channel member 90, the spring 96 is displaced rearwardly, but due to its tension, tends to press on the rear of the stack.

Referring again to FIG. 5, a suction head 102, associated with a pneumatic cylinder 104, is used to withdraw individual inserts 34 in the hopper 32. In the illustrated.

embodiment, the pneumatic cylinder 104 is of the single action type, and is normally biased to a position wherein the suction head 102 contacts the insert 34 abutting the restraining wires 92 and 94. The cylinder 104 is actuated by the application of air pressure through a service conduit 106. Upon actuation, a piston rod 108 associated with the cylinder 104 moves linearly in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 5. Such movement of the piston rod 108 draws the suction head 102 away from the receptacle 88. Vacuum, applied to the suction head 102 through the conduit 110, causes an insert 34 to bedrawn between the restraining wires 92 and 94, to the position shown in FIG. 5. When so disposed, the insert 34 is in a plane lying between the fingers 38 and 40 of the transfer arm 36. Thus, upon closing of the fingers 38 and 40 in the above-described manner, the insert 34 is grasped between the fingers 38 and 40, and carried downwardly toward the conveyor. 1

The application of air to the pneumatic cylinder 104 and vacuum to the suction head 102 occurs in timed relation to rotation of the shaft 66 and transfer arm 36. Thus, referring to FIG. 4, a toothed pulley 110 is affixed to the shaft 66. Journaled within housing 54, parallel to the shaft 66, is a camshaft 112. A toothed pulley 114 is affixed to the camshaft 112, in alignment with the pulley 110. A traction belt 116 interconnects the pulleys 110 and 114. In the illustrated embodiment, the dimen: sions of the pulleys 110 and 114 are such that the camshaft 112 rotates at twice the speed of the shaft 66.

Coupled to the camshaft 112 and rotatable therewith are a pair of cams 118 and 120. A cam-operated valve 122 associated with the cam 118 controls the application of pressure to the cylinder 104. A cam-operated valve 124 controls the application of vacuum to the suction head 102. Thus, a lobe 126 on the cam 118 interrupts the application of air to the cylinder 104 after passage of the transfer arm adjacent the hopper 32, thereby causing the suction head 102 to move into contact with an insert 34. A lobe 128 on the cam 120 interrupts the application of vacuum to the suction head 102 as the fingers 36 and 38 of the transfer arm 36 grasp the insert 34. Since the transfer arm 36 has fingers 38 and 40 at each of its ends, the cams 118 and 120 perform-in the above-described manner once each half-repolution of the shaft 66.

Referring to FIG. 7, the operation of the pneumatic and vacuum components of the above-described apparatus is shown schematically.

Disposed adjacent the conveyor 14 is a limit switch 130, seen also in FIG. 2, whose function it is to detect a bottle 24 advancing on the conveyor. Actuation of the limit switch 130 trips a time delay relay, which in turn actuates the operator V-l of an air valve 134 for a predetermined interval, determined by conveyor speed For such predetermined interval, the air valve 134 passes air from any convenient source of supply to a conduit 136 supplying jets 138, disposed along side the conveyor 14, and also to the above-described valve 122 associated with the cam 118. The air jets 138, seen also in FIG. 2, serve to hold partly secured labels 20 away from the bottles 24, thus insuring positioning of the inserts 34 between the labels 20 and bottles 24. The valve 122 normally permits the passage of air to the conduit 106 associated with the pneumatic cylinder 104.

Vacuum, from any convenient source, is normally applied through a conduit 142 to the above-described valve 144, and to the conduit 110 associated with the suction head 102.

The lobe 126 of the cam 118 effects venting of the air in the pneumatic cylinder 104, and causes the suction head 102 to contact an insert 34. The lobe 128 of the cam 120 causes venting of the suction head 102 to facilitate pick-up of the insert 34 by the transfer arm 36.

Mechanical synchronization of movement of the transfer arm 36 with movement of bottles 24 on the conveyor 14 is readily achieved in the present invention. In a presently preferred embodiment, the shaft 66 and transfer arm 36 are driven by a flexible drive shaft 140, directly coupled to the drive train of the conveyor 14. Thus, any variation in conveyor speed is automatically compensated for in the speed of the transfer arm 36.

The package insert applicator 12 in accordance with the invention is readily adapted for use with containers of various sizes. For this purpose, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the insert applicator 12 is provided with a built-in cross-slide head, designated generally by the reference numeral 142. A crank 144 associated with the cross-slide head 142 provides for vertical adjustment of the housing 54, and consequently the transfer arm 36. Thus, containers of various heights can be accommodated. The crank 146 provides adjustment of the housing 54 and transfer arm 36 in a horizontal direction, parallel to the direction of the conveyor, for precisehorizontal positioning of the low point in the fingers 3 8 and 40 travel. The crossslide head 142 may be affixed to the labeling device 10 in anyconvenient manner, for example by means of a standard 148, seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. For use with container labeling apparatus of the type having a conveyor for containers and wherein at least first and second spaced margins of a label are sequentially secured to a container while the container is supported on the conveyor, apparatus for applying an insert to the exterior of the container so that the insert is retained between the label and the container, comprising: storage means for a supply of inserts, and transfer means for receiving an insert removed from said storage means and transporting the insert to a position between a container and a label having a first margin thereof secured to the container, said transfer means comprising an elongated arm mounted for rotation about a generally horizontally disposed axis intersecting a medial portion thereof so that the ends of said arm have tangential components of motion at low points in their travel parallel to the motion of the conveyor, and said arm having means thereon for grasping an insert removed from said storage means and releasing said insert when the insert is disposed between the label and the container, said last-mentioned means comprising selectively movable fingers at each end of said arm, said fingers being biased to an insert grasping position, cam means adjacent said arm, cam follower means on said arm and coupled to said fingers for separating said fingers to release said insert, and further cam means adjacent said arm positioned to contact said cam follower means for separating said fingers as said fingers approach a position adjacent said storage means, said storage means comprising a hopper, a suction head coupled to said hopper, and an actuator for moving said suction head toward and away from said hopper to remove an insert therefrom, the insert being positioned by said suction head to be grasped between said fingers as said fingers pass said hopper.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, and means operatively coupled to said arm, for shutting off suction to said suction head as said fingers pass said hopper.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for rotatively coupling said arm with a rotating element in the drive train of said conveyor, whereby said arm is unidirectionally rotated in a substantially continuous manner in synchronization with the movement of said conveyor.

4. For use with container labeling apparatus of the type having a conveyor for containers and wherein at least first and second spaced margins of a label are sequentially secured to a container while the container is supported on the conveyor, apparatus for applying an insert to the exterior of the container so that the insert is retained between the label and the container, comprising: storage means for a supply of inserts, and transfer means for receiving an insert removed from said storage means and transporting the insert to a position between a container and a label having a first margin thereof secured to the container, said transfer means comprising an elongated arm mounted for rotation in a generally vertical plane parallel to the direction of motion of the conveyor so that said arm has a tangential component of motion at a low point in its travel parallel to the motion of the conveyor, and said arm having means thereon for grasping an insert removed from said storage means and releasing the insert when the insert is disposed between the label and the container, wherein said elongated .arm is mounted for rotation about a generally horizontally disposed axis intersecting a medial portion thereof, said means for grasping an' insert comprising respective fixed and movable fingers at each end of said arm, said movable fingers being biased to an insert grasping position, and means for effecting release of the insert, comprising cam means adjacent said arm, and cam follower means coupled to said movable fingers for controlling separation of said fingers, and further cam means adjacent said arm positioned to contact said cam follower means and cause separation of said fingers as said fingers approach a position adjacent said storage means, wherein said storage means comprises a hopper and a suction head coupled to said hopper, the insert being positioned by said suction head to be grasped between said fingers as said fingers pass said hopper, wherein said further cam means are configured to permit movement of said fingers to their insert grasping position as said fingers pass said hopper, and means for shutting olf suction to said suction head as said fingers pass said hopper, wherein said apparatus includes a housing and selectively adjustable means for positioning said housing with respect to the conveyor, said selectively adjustable means providing for selective adjustment of the vertical position of said housing with respect to the conveyor to accommodate containers of different sizes, wherein said selectively adjustable means is a cross-slide head, said cross-slide head providing for selective adjustment of said housing in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising means for rotatively coupling said arm with a rotating element in the drive train of said conveyor, whereby said arm is unidirectionally rotated in a substantially continuous manner in synchronizaiton' with the movement of said conveyor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,549,459 12/1970 Whitecar 156571 X 3,531,354 9/1970 Hetzinger et al. 156572 X 2,503,989 4/1950 Armstrong et al. 156571 X BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner J. M. HANLEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 15 6572 

